Jewelry storage and display case



Nov. 13, 1951 H. P. HOPP ET AL 2,575,016

JEWELRY STORAGE AND DISPLAY CASE Filed April 11, 1950 INVENTORS. a. r! Hal/Old P Hqqq T1 a BY Hzzgqs Ev [fa/7262mm A F 644% 1% M (8&0

Patented Nov. 13, 1951 JEWELRY STORAGE AND DISPLAY CASE Harold P. Hopp, Englewood, N. J and August E. Kunzelman, White Plains, N. Y., assignors to Longines-Wittnauer Watch Co. Inc., New York,

N. Y., a corporation Application April 11, 1950, Serial No. 155,322

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to jewelry cases in general, and to wrist watch cases in particular.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a case of this type with a wrist watch holder which may be moved in the case from a lower position therein, in which a wrist watch thereon is fully enclosed and protected in the closed case, into a position in which the wrist watch is for its conspicuous and neat display raised in the open case, thereby rendering the latter useful for the display of a wrist watch in a store, as well as for safekeeping the wrist watch after its purchase by a customer to whom the case is given with the purchased watch.

It is another object of the present invention pivotally to mount the watch holder in the case so that the wrist watch and connected band or bracelet thereon will, in the display position of the holder, assume a slanting disposition best suited for presenting the watch to the observer in the manner in which the watch would appear to the observer if worn. on someones wrist.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for the yielding arrest of the watch holder in the case in either of the above-mentioned positions therein.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a watch case embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the watch holder of the case;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 3, showing the watch holder in watch-display position; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, the reference numeral designates a case which may be opened and closed by a cover M. The cover l4 may conveniently be hinged to the case ID in a manner not shown. In the present instance, the case Ill and cover I4 are ornamental in their design so as to keep in good taste with the use of the case for the storage as well as the display of a wrist watch. The case it comprises a bottom wall It, front and rear walls 18 and I9, respectively, and opposite side walls 2|] and 2|, respectively. The side walls 20 and 2| are, in the present instance, higher than the front and rear walls l8 and 19, so as to lend a neat ornamental appearance to the open case [0 (Fig. 1). The side walls 20 and 2i will also straddle the adjacent side walls 22 and 23, respectively, of the cover [4 in the closed position of the latter in which the bottom edge 24 of the front wall 26 of said cover rests against the top edge 28 of the front wall [8 of the case, thereby aiding the hinge connection between the case and cover in preventing movement, other than pivotal, of said cover relative to the closed case. To lend to the cover It a pleasing appearance, its top 29 may appropriately be curved in the fashion indicated in Fig. 1.

Provided in the case I0 is a holder 30 which, in the present instance, comprises a base plate 32 on which is pivotally mounted, in a manner to be described, a strap 34 for the support of a wrist watch (not shown). The strap 34, which may be made from sheet metal or any other suitable, preferably somewhat resilient material, has a substantially straight rear section 36 and opposite, forwardly bent end sections 38 and 39 which are at their bottom edges provided with laterally projecting lugs 40 and 4|, respectively. In mounting. a wrist watch on the strap 34, the customary band or bracelet on the watch is passed over the strap and comes to rest against the lateral lugs 46 and 4! "on the latter, care bein ordinarily taken that the watch itself extends in front of and bridges the gap 42 between the curved end sections 38 and 39 of the strap 34.

The base plate 32 of the holder 3 is mounted in the case ID on the bottom wall ['5 thereof, and the strap 34 is, as previously mentioned, pivotally mounted on the base plate 32 for movement into the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

respectively. To this end, the strap 34 is provided, preferably centrally of its rear section 36, with a downwardly extending tab 52 which is held clamped to the base plate 32 by bearing with its bottom edge 53 against a slit portion 54 of the latter, and by bearing with lateral lugs 56 and 58 against the adjacent non-slit portions 60 and 62, respectively, of the base plate 32 in the manner best shown in Fig. 5. Shorter lateral lugs 64 and 66 on the tab 52 extend into slots 68 and "H1 in the plate portions 60 and 62, respectively, said slots serving as fulcrums for the tab 52 about which the latter and, hence, also the strap 34 are turnable into the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively. In order yieldingly to arrest the strap 34 against movement from either of its positions (Figs. 3 and 4) into the other position, the base plate 32 is, in the present instance, provided with a preferably impressed ridge or bead 16 over which snaps the tab 52 on the strap 34 on forcefully turning the latter into either one of the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Further, there is preferably punched from the base plate 32 a stop lug 80 against which bears the tab 52 on the strap 34 when the latter is in the watch-display position shown in Fig. 4, thus arresting the strap 34 against turning movement clockwise as viewed in Fig. 4 beyond the display position there shown. The bead 16 in the base plate 32 also causes the strap 34 to spring with a snap action into either of its two positions (Figs. 3 and 4) after the tab 52 has cleared the high point of the bead 16, as will be readily understood. Thus, in the position of the strap 34 shown in Fig. 3, a wrist watch thereon is sufficiently close to the bottom wall I6 of the case Hi to permit closure tive display of a wrist watch in a store, as well as for safekeeping the watch after its purchase ,by a customer to whom the case is given with the purchased watch.

To prevent damage to a wrist watch and enhance the appearance of the instant case,

particularly for watch-display purposes, the mounted base plate 32 and the strap 34 of the holder 39, as well as the inside of the cover Id of the case ID, are preferably lined with any suitable padding material M, such as velvet, for

instance.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the present invention without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an article-display device, a base, and an article-holder member pivotally mounted on said base for movement from a first position to a second position, said base and said holder member having means including interengaging portions which are integral with said base and holder member, respectively, which releasably secure said holder member in either of said positions, at least one of said portions being resiliently flexible and having a snap-over engagement with another of said portions in the movement of said holder member from one of said positions to the other position, said resiliently flexible portion being a slit portion of said base outwardly flexible from the remainder thereof, a portion of said holder member extending therefrom and engaging said flexible portion which is outwardly flexed thereby.

2. In an article-display device, a base, and an article-holder member pivotally mounted on said base for movement from a first position to a second position, said base and said holder member having means including interengaging portions which are integral with said base and holder member, respectively, which releasably secure said holder in either of said positions, at least one of said portions being resiliently flexible and having a snap-over engagement with another of said portions in the movement of said holder member from one of said positions to the other position, said resiliently flexible portion being a slit portion of said base outwardly flexible from the remainder thereof, a portion of said holder member extending therefrom and engaging said flexible portion which is outwardly flexed thereby, and a stop element on said base engaging said portion of said holder member in one of said positions thereof.

3. ,In a case for an article of jewelry, a holder for the article, a pivot mounting for said holder for swinging movement of the latter from a first position to a second position, said pivot mounting comprising a member having intermediate its side edges a transversely slit intermediate longitudinal portion outwardly flexible from the remainder of said member, a depending tab on said holder, said tab extending widthwise longitudinall'y' of said member and having opposite side lugs projecting underneath said member and being urged thereagainst by said member portion which is outwardly flexed by the engaging lower edge of said tab, and fulcrum means for said lugs on said member.

4. The combination in a case as set forth in claim 3, in which said fulcrum means comprise further side lugs continuous with but spaced inwardly from the first mentioned side lugs, respectively, and slots in said member adjacent the opposite ends, respectively, of said intermediate portion thereof, said slots receiving said further side lugs. v

5. The combination in a case as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a projection on said intermediate member portion yieldingly resisting movement of said holder from either of said positions into the other position thereof.

6. The combination in a case as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a punched-out stop on said intermediate member portion engaged by said tab in one position of said holder to prevent movement of the latter beyond said one position.

7. The combination in a case as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a projection on said intermediate member portion yieldingly resisting movement of said holder from either of said positions into the other position thereof, and a punched-out stop on said intermediate member portion engaged by said tab in one of said positions of. said holder to prevent movement of the latter beyond said one position.

8. An article support for a jewelry case having a closed bottom and an open top, comprising a holder for the article, a pivot mounting for said holder for swinging movement of the latter from a first position to a second position, said pivot mounting comprising a resilient :plate mountable in the case on the bottom thereof and having intermediate its side edges a transversely slit intermediate longitudinal portion outwardly flexible from the remainder of said plate, a depending tab on said holder, said tab extending widthwise longitudinally of said plate and having opposite side lugs projecting underneath said plate and being urged thereagainst by said plate portion which is outwardly flexed by the engaging lower edge of said tab, and fulcrum means for said lugs on said plate.

9. A case for a wrist watch with an attached band comprising a receptacle having a bottom and being open at the top, a holder comprising a base and a holder member of substantially the cross-sectional shape of a human wrist on which to mount a wrist watch and attached band. said holder member being pivotally mounted on said base for swinging movement from a first position adjacent said bottom in which the watch and attached band lie in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom, into an inclined position in which the watch is raised above said bottom and appears as though worn on the wrist of a forwardly extended human arm, said holder member being, for its pivotal mounting in said receptacle, provided on its circumference with a depending lug pivotally mounted on said base about an axis lying in the plane of the latter, said base having a portion outwardly flexible from the remainder thereof, and said lug having opposite side extensions projecting underneath said base and being urged thereagainst by said base portion, the lower edge of said lug engaging said base portion which is outwardly flexed thereby, and fulcrum means for said side extensions on said base.

10. A case for a wrist watch with an attached band comprising a receptacle having a bottom and being open at the top, a holder comprising a base and a holder member of substantially the cross-sectional shape of a human wrist on which to mount a wrist watch and attached band, said holder member being pivotally mounted on said base for swinging movement from a first position adjacent said bottom in which the watch and attached band lie in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom, into an inclined position in which the watch is raised above said bottom and appears as though worn on the wrist of a forwardly extended human arm, said holder member being, for its pivotal mounting in said receptacle, provided on its circumference with a depending lug pivotally mounted on said base about an axis lying in the plane of the latter, said base having a portion outwardly flexible from the remainder thereof, and said lug having opposite side extensions projecting underneath said base and being urged thereagainst by said base portion, the lower edge of said lug engaging said base portion which is outwardly flexed thereby, fulcrum means for said side extensions on said base, and means cooperating with said lug for yieldingly arresting said holder member in either of said positions thereof.

HAROLD P. HOPP.

AUGUST E. KUNZELMAN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Shields Apr. 25, 1933 Number 

